FAQ

The Questions and Answers

What is UMT?

UMT stands for Unestahl Mental Training, and is a course with systematic training of mental processes (thoughts, images, attitudes, and feelings) with the purpose of obtaining “Optimal States of Being”. The training leads to long term and consisting positive effects on health, wellbeing and performance for people independent on profession or position.

What makes UMT effective?

A major goal during UMT’s Basic Mental Training is to create and develop a “mental room”. This “room” can act as a metaphor for the alternativestate of consciousness (ASC), or state of mind, where a large part of the Mental Training takes place. Using advanced EEG techniques, it has been possible to show that the brain works under a different “operative system” in the mental room.

Among other things, activity differences between the rear and foreparts of the brain, and between the left and right brain halves disappear. What is happening is an integration and synchronization of the brain’s activity, which creates an integration of Body and Mind.

In this alternative state of consciousness the processing of information is altered, which brings about a direct contact is between mental and physical processes. This makes it possible to use “alternative systems of control” and replace “voluntary effort” with images. It makes it also possible to create conditionings like “triggers” in a quick and easy way. It has also been shown that the “mental room” stare brings about changes in the brain activity in accord with the “section divine” concept. As this concept stands for harmony and balance we can talk about both the “holistic brain” and the “harmonious brain”. This “mental room mind state” makes it possible to program the brain and in this way creates a steering function of the automaticity of Life. With the help of this “neuro cybernetic” model, changes through images and triggers can be automated and integrated and become a natural part of daily Life. An athlete, for instance who learns to replace the “voluntary effort” with programming of images, will more easy reach a “flow state” where “everything works by itself” and where his body reach an energy saving relaxed effectiveness with an ideal combination of active synergists and relaxed antagonist muscles.

What evaluations have you got from the course?

A major goal during UMT’s Basic Mental Training is to create and develop a “mental room”. This “room” can act as a metaphor for the alternativestate of consciousness (ASC), or state of mind, where a large part of the Mental Training takes place. Using advanced EEG techniques, it has been possible to show that the brain works under a different “operative system” in the mental room.

Among other things, activity differences between the rear and foreparts of the brain, and between the left and right brain halves disappear. What is happening is an integration and synchronization of the brain’s activity, which creates an integration of Body and Mind.

In this alternative state of consciousness the processing of information is altered, which brings about a direct contact is between mental and physical processes. This makes it possible to use “alternative systems of control” and replace “voluntary effort” with images. It makes it also possible to create conditionings like “triggers” in a quick and easy way. It has also been shown that the “mental room” stare brings about changes in the brain activity in accord with the “section divine” concept. As this concept stands for harmony and balance we can talk about both the “holistic brain” and the “harmonious brain”. This “mental room mind state” makes it possible to program the brain and in this way creates a steering function of the automaticity of Life. With the help of this “neuro cybernetic” model, changes through images and triggers can be automated and integrated and become a natural part of daily Life. An athlete, for instance who learns to replace the “voluntary effort” with programming of images, will more easy reach a “flow state” where “everything works by itself” and where his body reach an energy saving relaxed effectiveness with an ideal combination of active synergists and relaxed antagonist muscles.

What are the main channels of this course?

Is it a one-year University course, and what is the frequency of this learning?

Before Unestahl started his own Private University, SIU – Scandinavian International University – the international part of SLH (Skandinaviska Ledarhögskolan), he was a professor at Örebro University and started the UMT there. The course gave 20 points (today 30 EU-Bologna points) which means that it took one semester (4 months) studying full time (100%). When the course changed to a distance learning course through SLH, we kept the course unchanged in size and contents, but gave “International Units” instead of point credits. At SLH and now at SIU /the English version) the students can decide study start and study speed. Most of them decide to devote one year for the course. This makes it possible for the participants to combine the training with family and work. It is also an advantage to take time for integration and application of the course contents.

This way of studying, which is based on the Unestahl “learning pyramid”, LEARNING – in/for/from/about/during the entire – LIFE, creates a more effective and Skills related learning process compared with “traditional” university courses. This is important as the main goal for the UMT is increased “LIFE COMPETENCE”.

What are the Course Contents?

Training consists of 4 parts á 25 IU (International Units which in size are the same as 7,5 p-Bologna), where each module contains of Video lectures, literature, tests, exercises and training programs. The titles are:

Basic Mental Training,

Self- and Goal- image Training

Mental Strength Training

Emotional &Life-quality Training

What is the Time frame?

UMT® was initially designed as a (6 months) full time course. In the form of distance learning the student decides when to start and what speed of study he/she wants. However, the minimal time is half a year as the training goes on for 185 days. An approximately number of hours per day will be 4 hours – half a year, 2 hours – 1 year and 1 hour per day during 2 years. There are advantages to extend the course over a longer period of time to enhance reflecting, integrating and allowing knowledge to become skills.

How does this course connect with team psychology consulting?

Mental training like physical training is individual but can be done together. Some teams make all training together, some other a part together and a part individual, while other teams makes the actual training individual and use use the individual developmental effects to make the team stronger. When soccer players have learned to direct their bodies through mental images, the soccer coach can ask his players to transform his technical and tactical instructions to images and program them when they are in their mental room.

Various Mental Training principles, for instance the principles for visions and goals (goal-setting criteria, transfer to goal images, goal-programming) can also be used on the team level. An important factor, for instance, when transforming and uniting a group to perform as a team is having common images of the goals (goal-images). After establishing of common goals, every team member can create personal goals, transfer them to images and perform a programming procedure. What makes this process so powerful is that each team member can create a unique way to the common goal.

Is this course mainly self-learning or relying on facilitation?

It is made in such a way that everyone can take the course without any external facilitation. In the Swedish version it has been possible to have support from a coach during the course but as this makes the course much more expensive, most students have decided to do the course without any external helper or facilitator.